Last week marked the fifth anniversary of Colorado's decision to sanction the world's first anything-goes commercial pot trade.

Five years later, we remain an embarrassing cautionary tale.

Visitors to Colorado remark about a new agricultural smell, the wafting odor of pot as they drive near warehouse grow operations along Denver freeways. Residential neighborhoods throughout Colorado Springs reek of marijuana, as producers fill rental homes with plants.

Five years of retail pot coincide with five years of a homelessness growth rate that ranks among the highest rates in the country. Directors of homeless shelters, and people who live on the streets, tell us homeless substance abusers migrate here for easy access to pot.

Five years of Big Marijuana ushered in a doubling in the number of drivers involved in fatal crashes who tested positive for marijuana, based on research by the pro-legalization Denver Post.

Five years of commercial pot have been five years of more marijuana in schools than teachers and administrators ever feared.

"An investigation by Education News Colorado, Solutions and the I-News Network shows drug violations reported by Colorado's K-12 schools have increased 45 percent in the past four years, even as the combined number of all other violations has fallen," explains an expose on escalating pot use in schools by Rocky Mountain PBS in late 2016.

The investigation found an increase in high school drug violations of 71 percent since legalization. School suspensions for drugs increased 45 percent.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health found Colorado ranks first in the country for marijuana use among teens, scoring well above the national average.

The only good news to celebrate on this anniversary is the dawn of another organization to push back against Big Marijuana's threat to kids, teens and young adults.

The Marijuana Accountability Coalition formed Nov. 6 in Denver and will establish satellites throughout the state. It resulted from discussions among recovery professionals, parents, physicians and others concerned with the long-term effects of a commercial industry profiteering off of substance abuse.

"It's one thing to decriminalize marijuana, it's an entirely different thing to legalize an industry that has commercialized a drug that is devastating our kids and devastating whole communities," said coalition founder Justin Luke Riley. "Coloradans need to know, other states need to know, that Colorado is suffering from massive normalization and commercialization of this drug which has resulted in Colorado being the number one state for youth drug use in the country. Kids are being expelled at higher rates, and more road deaths tied to pot have resulted since legalization."

Commercial pot's five-year anniversary is an odious occasion for those who want safer streets, healthier kids and less suffering associated with substance abuse. Experts say the worst effects of widespread pot use will culminate over decades. If so, we can only imagine the somber nature of Big Marijuana's 25th birthday.

— Colorado Springs Gazette

BucEyedPea

02-12-2018 07:13 AM

But...but... pollution matters if a corporation does it, but not when it's pot pollution wafting into the senses of other people. So much for being a victimless crime.

As one HiLiaRy WikiLeaked email stated, the oligarchy wants a "compliant citizenry". What better way to do it then to get everyone high—even if just through a contact high.

I was for marijuana legalization before, but if this is an unintended consequence, I may have to re-think it.

Bugeater

02-12-2018 07:18 AM

Just because a driver involved in a crash tests positive for pot, it doesn't mean he/she was high at the time of the crash. That shit stays in your system for up to 30 days.

Sensationalist bullshit right there.

notorious

02-12-2018 07:21 AM

Not surprised at all. Weed is similar to alcohol in Colorado, of course the kids are going to get it when it’s easily accessible.

patteeu

02-12-2018 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BucEyedPea
(Post 13413413)

But...but... pollution matters if a corporation does it, but not when it's pot pollution wafting into the senses of other people. So much for being a victimless crime.

As one HiLiaRy WikiLeaked email stated, the oligarchy wants a "compliant citizenry". What better way to do it then to get everyone high—even if just through a contact high.

I was for marijuana legalization before, but if this is an unintended consequence, I may have to re-think it.

I answer that with another question, since you've been channeling Donger a lot lately.

The part that is covered in the original post's article. That context which I would think could be discerned in my first post on it.

Bob Dole

02-12-2018 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BucEyedPea
(Post 13413413)

But...but... pollution matters if a corporation does it, but not when it's pot pollution wafting into the senses of other people. So much for being a victimless crime.

As one HiLiaRy WikiLeaked email stated, the oligarchy wants a "compliant citizenry". What better way to do it then to get everyone high—even if just through a contact high.

I was for marijuana legalization before, but if this is an unintended consequence, I may have to re-think it.

So plant odor is pollution now? You probably need to stay away from northeast Texas, since there are a lot of places where the smell of pine trees is overwhelming.

Donger

02-12-2018 07:48 AM

I remember the potheads telling me I was ignorant when I said that this would lead to more kids using pot. Heh.

patteeu

02-12-2018 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BucEyedPea
(Post 13413438)

I answer that with another question, since you've been channeling Donger a lot lately.

The part that is covered in the original post's article. That context which I would think could be discerned in my first post on it.

OK, that's not an answer. I assume it means you haven't really given this any thought. That's kind of what I expected. Just a kneejerk response.

BucEyedPea

02-12-2018 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Dole
(Post 13413444)

So plant odor is pollution now? You probably need to stay away from northeast Texas, since there are a lot of places where the smell of pine trees is overwhelming.

The complaint about pollution is that it affects other people's rights because it harms their health since they have to breath it or drink it. So if others are getting pot into their systems because they're breathing it in or if they have to put up with the smell, which to my knowledge involves particles in the air, then the same principle applies. So if I don't smoke pot for my own reasons, then I shouldn't have to breathe it in involuntarily.

Trolly McTrollson

02-12-2018 08:35 AM

So five years into legalized pot and their big complaint is a completely subjective claim that the freeways smell funny? Sounds like a resounding success.

patteeu

02-12-2018 08:38 AM

I'm still having a hard time seeing any of those negative impacts as "unintended consequences" in the sense that phrase is usually used. I'm sure they were unintended in the literal sense, but they weren't unforeseeable.